The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide: Buying, Pairing, and Sharing for All [Paperback]

Leslie Sbrocco (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 2006

When Leslie asks her audiences what types of information they want in a new book, the overwhelming response is a portable compilation of top picks. Leslie Sbrocco's Simple and Savy Wine Guide is packed with all kinds of glance-and-go lists for everything from what wine to drink with Thai take-out, to wines perfect for drinking in a bubble bath. Leslie also offers up an entire section based on her popular concept of wine makeovers, in which she takes an expensive wine and offers a similar tasting, less expensive version.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leslie Sbrocco is the award-winning author of Wine for Women and a regular wine columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Her work has appeared in publications such as O, The Oprah Magazine; Family Circle; Redbook; and Working Mother. She is the host of the Emmy-nominated show Check Please! on PBS and appears regularly on national radio and television including the Today show and CNN. In addition to her writing and television work, Sbrocco is a nationally recognized speaker and wine consultant for the Kimpton Hotel Group. She lives with her family in Sonoma County, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks (October 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060828331
• ISBN-13: 978-0060828332
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #972,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXTREMELY HELPFUL WINE GUIDE: EASY TO UNDERSTAND, October 18, 2006

By 

Wine Maven (Kansas City, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide: Buying, Pairing, and Sharing for All (Paperback)

After seeing Leslie Sbrocco lead one of the most fun and entertaining wine seminar's I've ever attended, I read her first book, WINE FOR WOMEN, and admittidly became a fan. Just got her second book, THE SIMPLE AND SAVVY WINE GUIDE, and find the way Leslie has chosen to divide up her wine recommendations extremely helpful. As a busy person, (who doesn't have time to learn about every wine region, varietal and style of all the wines available) her idea to discuss wines by occasion, food pairings, seasons, and they way I live with wine is brilliant! Plus I also appreciate her insider tips on "hidden treasure" wines, restaurant winners, and "makeover wines" that are comparable to more expensive wines. Another winner. I highly recommend.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Needs reprinted with a simple & savvy cover., February 9, 2009

By 

kiwanissandy "Go Bucks!" (Heart of Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide: Buying, Pairing, and Sharing for All (Paperback)

This book is printed on recycled paper so the color is an off gray. This book is only 3 years old and the pages have already started turning yellow and the print has faded. There are no pictures so there's no eye-catching appeal. The font is typewriter style so it too looks unprofessional. This book would not be a good gift as it feels and looks cheap. The cover lacks synergy and based upon the books' look alone I wouldn't have purchased it. However, I'm really glad I did.

Now for the real heart of the book. There is alot of useful information to be found in its' 300+ pages. All the pages appear to be boring excel spreadsheets but don't let that fool you because they are filled with excellent information.

The chapters are divided into wines that fit a certain "party" theme. For example, there is a chapter on Bathtub wines, elegant wines that invite relaxation. Ms. Sbrocco's first pick is a Mosel Riesling. I would have to say that that would be my first pick as well. It's lower in alcohol, crisp and just quenches the soul so to speak. She then moves on to a spreadsheet outlining her top picks. The first is White, then Red then Sparklers. She gives specific producer recommendations which depending on the State you live in and its liquor laws, you may or may not be able to purchase. Just plan on purchasing an off-dry Riesling, regardless of the producer, because you may not be able to find Bloom specifically.

She also has chapters devoted to Girls Night Out, Wedding Wines, Sexy Wines, Picnic Wines, Pizza Picks, Snack Party foods, Cheese Wines, etc. It's all invaluable information. I don't think you'd learn alot about wines from this book. If you really want to know the differences in an off-dry, dry, Spatlese wines, etc you need to get The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics, 2nd Edition. It has the meat and potatoes information about wines. This book provides the gravy in that it gives wine picks for everyday life.

This book contains a limited amount of recipes. They're mostly add-ons sprinkled throughout the book. If you want wines picks and recipes then choose Wine Food & Friends or even Wine Mondays: Simple Wine Pairings with Seasonal Menus. Both those books have recipes, menus and specific wine suggestions where this book does not. Those books also have pictures and are printed on quality paper so they will withstand the test of time. Both books have recipes designed for entertaining.

I just noticed this book was printed by Morrow so that explains the lack of pictures and paper choice. They don't hire descent food photographers. I would check out Ms. Sbrocco's website, www.lesliesbrocco.com to learn more about wines and get her newsletter signup. I hope she would reprint this book with someone else so it would look as good as it truly is.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta love it!, December 12, 2006

By 

Cinderella "Wine Novice" (Petaluma, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide: Buying, Pairing, and Sharing for All (Paperback)

What a fantastic find this book is. I was looking for a book that I could use as a guide for picking wines as gifts and for entertaining and this book has been the most helpful, fun and quite frankly the simplest guide I have ever seen. What is really cool is that I can look up a wine by producer, region, wine type, price or stlye by using the handy indexes in the back of the book. This means I can quickly look up all the oaky chardonnay's under $10 quickly and easily. I also enjoyed the makeover wines section that allows a person on a limited budget to try wines that taste like the big bangers without the cost. I highly recommend this book. Fabulous!